1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to connectors and connecting methods of the connectors. More specifically, the present invention relates to a connector where a contact member is deformed to a plug connector side so that the contact member comes in contact with a non-contact part of the plug connector, and a connecting method of the connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, plural connectors are provided in an inspection apparatus configured to inspect electric characteristics of a board where a semiconductor device is mounted, in order to improve inspection efficiency. A large number such as several tens or several hundreds of the boards are provided to the connectors. In addition, plug connectors of the large number of chucked boards are inserted into inserting parts of the connectors so that inspection is performed when a contact member comes in contact with a contacted part of the plug connector.
In such an inspection apparatus which electrically inspects when the contact member comes in contact with the contacted part of the plug connector, it is important to achieve contact reliability of the contact member contacting the contacted part of the plug connector.
In addition, after inspection is completed, the plug connectors of the large number of the boards are taken out from the connectors. In the connector where a large number of the plug connectors are repeatedly inserted and taken out, a driving mechanism is applied in order to reduce abrasion or wear of the contact members. The driving mechanism is configured to press the contact member to the contacted part of the plug connector by a spring force at the time of inspection and separate the contact member from the plug connector at the time when the plug connector is taken out.
For example, connectors having the following structures have been suggested.
In a first example, contact members provided at both sides of an inserting part where a plug connector is inserted are situated in positions separated by a length greater than the thickness of the plug connector. After the plug connector is inserted in the inserting part, the contact members are deformed to a plug connector side by operations of a cam mechanism so that the contact members come in contact with the plug connector by sandwiching the plug connector with the contact members. See, for example, Japanese Patent No. 3,428,906, Japanese Patent No. 3,253,602, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,596.
In a second example, after a plug connector is inserted, contact members are deformed to a plug connector side by going down a slide member so that the plug connector is sandwiched from both sides by the contact members. See, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 54-137663.
In a third example, a plate spring horizontally provided on a bottom of an inserting part is curved. The plate spring is pressed by a head end part of the plug connector so as to be curved in a pressing direction. As a result of this, the contact member is deformed to a plug connector side and the contact member is sandwiched. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,776.
In the connector, there is a general tendency in recent years that the number of contact cores is increasing and gap pitches between the contact members are becoming narrow. In addition, there is a demand for miniaturization of the members and securing a contact pressure of the contact member.
However, in the connectors described in Japanese Patent No. 3,428,906, Japanese Patent No. 3,253,602, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,596, since the contact part of the contact member is deformed by operations of the cam mechanism, if the cam mechanism is miniaturized, the amount of deformation of the contact part of the contact member becomes small so that the contact pressure may be decreased. If the amount of deformation of the contact member becomes large in order to secure the contact pressure of the contact member, the size of the cam mechanism becomes large so that miniaturization of the cam mechanism cannot be achieved.
In addition, in the connectors described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 54-137663 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,776, if the plate spring is made miniaturized, the amount of deformation of the contact member becomes small so that the contact pressure may be decreased. If the contact pressure of the contact member is attempted to be secured, a receiving space of the plate spring becomes large so that it is difficult to achieve miniaturization.